α-Difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) is an amino acid associated with diverse biological functions and utility. It is a suicide enzyme inhibitor of pyridoxal phosphate-dependent ornithine decarboxylase. This amino acid has been found to possess curative properties against parasitic diseases like African sleeping sickness, benign prostate hypertrophy (U.S. Pat. No. 4,330,559), anti tumor (BE 881209), facial hair removal (U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,489; U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,394) etc. The present invention describes an industrially applicable process of manufacture of the amino acid DFMO and other structurally related compounds.